Berkeley Heights Sewer Sale – Everything We Know So Far
The Township of Berkeley Heights is moving forward with a plan to sell its entire public sewer system to a private company—a deal that would shift ownership, operations, and long-term risk away from the municipality. But with final bids due July 1 and a fifth (and final) addendum still pending, several key terms remain unresolved. One especially glaring omission: the...
Missing Ordinance? Berkeley Heights Turf Lease May Violate State Law
Is the Berkeley Heights CMS Lease Agreement Legal? -Laura Kapuscinski This past weekend, while I was opening fan mail, I happened upon an anonymous letter directing me to N.J.S.A. 40A:12-5 and pointing out the possibility that the Town Council did not properly adopt the CMS land lease with the Berkeley Heights Board of Education.* Upon review, the language in N.J.S.A....
Public Only When Convenient? Residents Question Turf Field Transparency
While the Township previously engaged in a highly public campaign that involved press releases and email blasts to promote the CMS lease, recent communication on the project -particularly a scheduled meeting with a turf vendor-raises questions about consistency and transparency. A meeting organized by the Recreation Committee to hear from a turf vendor was not listed on the Township calendar,...
The Sewage Sale Debate: Lessons from Power Outages and Lost Accountability
If it feels like the power’s been going out more often in Berkeley Heights, you’re not imagining things. From schools to homes, businesses to traffic lights, outages have become a part of life here. And the most frustrating part? No one ever seems to explain why. Just this month, over 1,000 residents lost electricity — including Mary Kay McMillin...
Fire Prevention in Berkeley Heights: A Post-Budget Look at Policy and Funding
Following public pressure and policy changes, questions remain about funding, oversight, and implementation Context After the initial vote this year to approve changes to the Fire Prevention Bureau, NJ21st started a petition that secured over 300 signatures urging the Town Council to keep the Bureau under the Fire Department. Public pressure likely contributed to a compromise in the final version,...
Berkeley Heights Resident Writes to Town Council On Continued Power Outages…Again
Michael Leblond is a resident of Berkeley Heights Dear Mayor Devanney and members of the Town Council, I am writing to express my growing concern regarding the frequent power outages in our community and their negative impact on daily life. As a fifteen year resident of Berkeley Heights, I believe it is essential that our local government addresses the ongoing...
No Debate, Bad Audio, and Dead Ducks: A Night at the Berkeley Heights Council Meeting
Laura’s Notes of the 05/20/2025 Town Council Meeting It’s been a while since I watched a Town Council meeting. Maybe I was still feeling the good vibes from the CMS musical, but for a second, it felt like I’d landed in some cheerful Oz where everyone was smiling and getting along. Turns out, that vibe was all surface. The fake...
Fast-Tracked Debt: What’s Buried in Berkeley Heights’ Township $3M Bond
John’s Notes on the 05/20/2025 Town Council Meeting The 4 Million Dollar Bomb…I mean, Bond The May 20th Township Council agenda includes a $3.8 million bond ordinance that was introduced just two weeks ago. It hasn’t been passed yet, but it’s moving fast — and it deserves more attention. Most of the funding — $2.78 million — will come from...
Beyond the Payout: Lessons New Jersey Residents Can Learn from the Berkeley Heights’ Sewer Referendum
Pay Attention, NJ. Berkeley Heights political leadership stands to gain a great deal from the sale of our sewage plant: An influx of cash. The ability to pass off years of neglect—and the responsibility for raising rates—onto residents through a private entity. The ability to shift accountability for plant operations to another oversight body. Despite relieving themselves of the responsibility...
No Video Exists of Pivotal Berkeley Heights Council Meeting
The township confirmed today that there is no video recording of the most recent Town Council meeting, citing “technical difficulties.” The meeting—held at 6:00 p.m., earlier than usual—had one of the most important and packed agendas of the year thus far. It included a vote to send the possible sale of the sewage plant to referendum, adoption of the budget,...
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